Heater



April 5, 1932. P. H. HAMILTON HEATER Filed Fel a. 9. 1927 DDDDDDDDDD AT'RORNEY v Patented Apr. 5, 1932 warren srATEs PATENT osFHJcEQ PAUL H. HAMILTON, or CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR To THE, slums MANUFACTUR- me COMPANY, OF cLnvELANnoHiO, A CORPORATION or'oHIo HEATER Application filed February 9, 1927. Serial No. 166,966.

This invention relates to a heater for fluid,

such as water, more particularly of the stor- 1 results.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved fluid heater which is efficient in operation and relatively simple in construction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fluid heater in which the flue for the products of combustion extends throughout the fluid container and to provide the flue with means adapted to divide the products of combustion into a plurality of separated currents and to deflect the latter as they flow through the flue whereby a scouring action takes place on the flue walls to prevent the accumulation of carbon or condensation or the formation of an air film thereon, thereby insuring direct contact of the products of combustion with the flue walls and conduction of the heat by the latter to the fluid surrounding the flue.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates from the following description taken in connection with the ac- 66 of Fig. 5. r

In the drawings, 1 indicates a tank for fluid, such as water. The tank' 1 is preferably of cylindrical shape, 2 indicates as an entirety a fire box or chamber disposed be- 0 low the tank 1. The chamber 2'is provided Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section on the line by extending the side wall 1a of thetank downwardly beyond the bottom wall lb fthereof, as shown at 2a and closing the lower end thereof by a base member or plate 3, to

which reference will later be made. The

tank 1 and chamber 2 are surrounded bya shell or casing 4, preferably in spaced relation to the walls 1a, 2a. The casing 4 may also be provided with a top 4a disposed in spaced'relation to the top 10 of the tank 1,

the space between the walls 11a and laserving as a dead air space to prevent loss of heat by radiation. It will be understood that, if desired, this space may be filled with any suitable material which has'a low 00- eflicient of heat conductivity.

5 indicates a pipe leading into the tank 1 (preferably through its top) and terminating near its bottom, this pipe being connected with a suitable source of water supply. 6 indicates the outlet or discharge pipe leading from the upper portion of the tank 1 (for example, being connected to a nipple, 6a mounted in the top wall 10) and connected to the service system of the building in which the heater is mounted. 7 indicates-adrain pipe preferably mounted in the side} wall 1a of the tank 1. r

8 indicates a burner which may be of any desired construction. As shown in Fig; 1, the burner 8 comprises a'pipe 8a having a plurality of nozzles. The burner 8 is mounted in operative relation to the bottom 1?)- substantially centrally thereof. The pipe 8a' is connected to a supply pipe 9 which leads through the side wall 2a. The pipe 9 supplies to the burner 8 a suitablejcombustible medium, such as natural or artificial gas. Flow of the gas through the pipe 9 may be automatically controlled by a suitable thermostatic mechanism 10, the thermostatic elements 10a of such mechanism extending into the tank 1, whereby the temperature of the 7 water therein will be effective to actuate the thermostat mechanism and the latter to control a suitable valve, in a well known manner, to permit of or cut off the flow of the gas through the pipe 9. The burner 8 may have associated with it a suitable pilot (not shown). g

' rounding the flue,-andthrough the casing top 4a. The flue 11 is preferably disposed eccentrically of the tank 1 (see Figs. 2 and 3) and itsupper end may be left open or connected by piping to a chimney. 12 indicates a guide means within and preferably extending from end toend of the flue 11. The guide means 12 serves to break up the body of the products of combustion into a plurality of currents and to guide the latter in active relation to portions of the inner walls of the flue, thereby preventing the products of combustion from forming into a central column and the formation of an air film on the inner walls of the The guide means 12 preferably. comprise a plurality of radially extending walls 12auniformlyspaced relative to each other about the axis of the flue and extending from end to end thereof. The walls 12a extend radially far enough so that their free side edges contact with the walls of the fine 11, in order that the heat absorbed by these walls may be conducted to the flue walls and by the latter to the water.

In the. present form of construction I show four radial walls 12a and dispose adjacent "walls at right angles to each other, to pro- .cumulation of products of condensation,

vide four'passages through the flue; accordingly, as theproducts of combustion flow from the fire box 2 into the lower end of the flue 11, they are divided into four currents. This arrangement prevents the products from forming into a single column or'current centrally of thefiue with a fihn of air surround ing them and insulating the flue walls from the products of combustion, Onthe other hand, the products being divided into separate currents each by contact with the walls I of the passage is caused to take a circuitous path therethrough. To prevent. the direct upward flow of the products through each passage, I provide on the opposite faces of the Walls 12a a plurality of members 12d which protrude or extend intothe path of the products as they flow upwardly and agitate or deflect them radially. This agitation of the currents insures contact of the products of combustion with the adjacent portions of the flue wall and by reason of such contact the flow of the products of combustiontends to have a scouring effect on the flue wall to prevent the formation of an air film or. ac-' guide means. I make them in sections 1% and assemble the sections end to end within the flue, this arrangement insuring a more accurate fit between the side edges of the walls 12a and flue walls. In this form of construction I may provide the upper end of each section with a lug 120 formed with an opening for a screw .orilike device engaging one wall of the next upper section and the upper section of the series may be supported in any suitable manner, for example by a rod extending through diametrical openings 11a formed in the flue walls and an opening in the walls 12a (seeFig. 3).

lQindicates openings formedin the lower 7 portion of the chamber 2 and substantially uniformly therearound. In the preferred form of construction the openings 12 are formed in the base member or plate 3 and disposed in concentric relation to the burner 8. As shown, the openings 12 are arranged outwardly of the burner 8 and preferably comprise elongated curved slots so as to be 1 each opening 12 and arranged to prevent the air from flowing directly upwardly and to direct it outwardly against the side wall so that it may flow in a circuitous path to the burner 8 and flue 11. Each guard 13pref- V erably comprises an upstanding Wall 13a disposed along the inner side edge of the adjacent opening 12 and a wall 13?) extending substantially outwardly from the upper edge of the'wall 13a over the opening and preferably to a point beyond the opposite or outer side edge thereof. As shown, the burner 8 is mounted in the upper portion of the chamber 2 and the openings 12 are, in the preferred form of construction, formed in the base member or bottom plate 3, this arrangement providing for the maximum travel of the a1r within the fire chamber before combmmg with the gas to effect combustion and the products of combustion, seas to insure its preheating. Due to the heat rising in the flue 11, a relatively large volume of air is drawn in through the openings to support the primary and secondary combustion. If this air came into immediate or substantially immediate contact with the gas and products of combustion, loss of heat would result. In my construction, I arrange the air inlet openings in a uniform manner around and relatively close to the side walls of the fire chamber and provide each opening with a guard,

closed along or on its inner side, so that the air will be directed outwardly against the side wall. The air will then flow upwardly along the side wall until it engages the bottom of the tank which deflects the airinwardly toward the burner. As the air flows through this path, it becomes pre-heated from the heat radiating from the burner and walls of the chamber 2, with the result that more complete combustion takes place and the products of combustion attain their maximum heat or temperature. In this arrangement it will be noted that the air admitted to the chamber 2 circulates upwardly adja cent the side wall of the chamber; this tends to induce a circulation of all air below'the burner and centrally of the chamber downwardly toward the base member, then outwardly and then upwardly with the air drawn in through the openings, so that that portion of the air in the chamber not utilized to support combustion is kept incirculation so as to more effectively mix with and heat the cold air drawn in through the openings 12.

The side wall 20!. of the chamber 2 and casin 4 are formed with openings closed by a sultable door 14, whereby access to the burner 8 is provided for.

The base member 3 may be provided with concentric up-standing flanges or ribs to which the lower ends of the walls 2a and casing 4 are secured, respectively, preferably in an air or gas tight manner; and'the base member may be provided with suitable legs 15.

In my preferred form of construction and as illustrated herein, I use a burner of the atmospheric type, that is, one in which no air is introduced in and mixed with the combustible medium before combustion takes place.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the walls 12a being radially disposed and connected at their inner, ends, divide the products into individual currents and prevent their formation into a column that tends to build up a surrounding film of air to insulate the heat of the products from the flue walls. It will also be seen that by providing the opposing faces of the walls 12a in each passage with members 12d projecting into the path of the products of combustion, the latter are directed away from these walls and outwardly against the flue wall through out the length of the passage to effect their contact with the latter.

I have found by actual use that the form of construction shown herein has a relatively high efficiency and is more efficient than other forms of construction of which I have knowledge. Y

The construction of fire box and air supply therefor forms the subjectmatter of a separate application filed January 12, 1927, Serial No. 160,6t0, for-which reason noclaim thereto is made herein.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have illustrated a slight- 5 ly different form of guide means for the prod ucts of combustion to facilitate their assemformed integrally with the section wall) and these pins are adapted to fit in the openings 14 in the lugs 13 of the adjacent section to thereby connect the sections together end to end and providing for their support in the flue, one by the other. The upper end ofthe uppermost section may also be supported in the flue by flaring the end edges of the walls 12a outwardly so that these flared edges 12e will-engage the upper open end of the flue and thus support this section and all the remaining sections throughout the length of the flue therein.

To those skilled in the art to which my invention relates many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of my invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, except as limited by the appended claims. My disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a vertical flue of cylindrical shape, guide means comprising radially disposed walls having contact along their outer side edges with the inner walls of the flue and dividing the latter into a plurality of longitudinally extending passages, said guide means being formed in sections and connected together in end to end relation, means for supporting the upper section from the upper end of said flue and devices on the opposite faces of each of said walls and eXtending laterally therefrom into the path of movement of the products of combustion and ar ranged to deflect the latter outwardly into contact with adjacent portions of the flue.

2. In combination with a vertical flue, guide means therefor, said guide means comprising a plurality of sections, fastening means between the ends of adjacent sections, a flared portion on the upper section extending over PAUL H. HAMILTON. 

